By Silvernews
Heartland FC have fallen short in their bid to secure promotion to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), with Technical Manager Emmanuel Amuneke admitting that a poor first stanza of the 2025/2026 Nigeria National League (NNL) campaign proved costly.
The Naze Millionaires finished third on the table with 27 points, despite ending their season on a high with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Crown FC Ogbomoso on April 11, 2026.
The decisive moment came late in the encounter, as Jonathan Osondu struck in the 82nd minute to seal all three points.
Reflecting on the campaign, Amuneke acknowledged that his side missed a crucial opportunity to return to the elite league, pointing to their inefficiency in front of goal during the early part of the season.
“We missed the opportunity to secure promotion based on our first-half performance,” Amuneke said.
“We created plenty of chances but couldn’t convert them. It’s something we must improve on moving forward.”
Despite the setback, the former international expressed appreciation to the club’s supporters for their consistent backing throughout the season, noting that their encouragement remained vital even during difficult periods.
“I truly thank our fans. Football isn’t predictable, but we’re following a process to ensure we reach our goals soon,” he added.
Amuneke, however, took positives from the team’s resurgence in the second stanza, expressing optimism that the lessons learned would strengthen the squad ahead of future campaigns.
